The first Grand Prize Award was in the Lawn & Garden/Off-Highway Category. This prestigious award was given for a miniature planetary gear carrier set made from powdered metal to be used in a commercial rotary irrigation system.

ASCO Sintering Co. also won a second Grand Prize award in the Industrial Motors/Controls & Hydraulics Category for a sintered hydraulic valve actuator mechanism.

Each year the MPIF Metal Powder Industries Federation and APMI International) bring together PM industry professionals and decision makers from around the world to network and learn from each other about the latest developments and innovations in powder metallurgy, particulate materials, and metal additive manufacturing.

Held in conjunction with PowderMet 2019 in Phoenix, AZ, the MPIF sponsors a national Design Awards Excellence Competition for its member companies to showcase the possibilities inherent in this metal-forming technology. A distinguished panel of industry judges evaluate the entries according to a stringent set of criteria. Grand Prize and Awards of Distinction are given to those PM parts and manufacturers deemed worthy.

The intent is to highlight and draw attention to engineering innovation among parts manufacturers and, at the same time, promote the state of the art in the Powder Metallurgy industry.

Powder metallurgy (PM) is an automated metalworking process that forms metal powders into precision components used in applications such as auto engines and transmissions, hardware, industrial machinery, sporting goods, defense, and firearms. More than 800 million pounds of PM parts are made annually in North America.

The competition is sponsored annually by the Metal Powder Industries Federation, an international trade association for the metal powder producing and consuming industries.

At ASCO Sintering Co., winning design excellence awards has become an almost annual tradition. Beginning in 1969, ASCO Sintering Co. has now won 40 MPIF Design Excellence Part of the Year awards.